Do you confront people who sit on/drink over the tables?

[CreeDo]

Forgive me if I asked before, I have a sneaking feeling I may have.

I hate to see people treat the tables like patio furniture. Even if I know absolutely nothing about pool, I know that something that something that big and heavy probably costs a few thousand dollars. And I know it's a table. So to me it's common sense -

"oh, is this your ten thousand dollar car? I guess I won't sit on it."
"is this the table where you eat dinner? I guess I won't sit on it."

Seeing people place beer on it, eat their food over it, and sit on it strikes me as extremely disrespectful and borderline retarded. I've never played golf, but I know enough not to shít in the sandtraps.

So my question is - do you confront people who do this? What if they're with a bunch of friends? What if they're kind of intimidating? I'm a big dude but I hate confrontations so sometimes I just let it go. And in the past it's degenerated into a shoving match (and that was with me trying to play it cool by letting an employee handle it).

Sometimes, I can't help thinking "well, if the room owner doesn't teach his employees to stop it, or they don't care enough to bother, I guess it's on him if his room goes to hell because half the rails are unglued and the tables roll funny."

But even at the worst pool hall, one where the tables are already stained and warped, it boils my blood to see it.

So, how do you guys handle it? Do you worry the room owner will think you're out of line for trying to act like an employee (or rather, like the employees should if they were properly trained)?

 

[pt109]

Good post, CreeDo....it bothers me also.
I think a lot less of a room that allows it.
Even when I was a kid, I would let people know that no player likes the
rubber on the rail being treated like that.

There is usually a reasonable way to handle it.
When I've been on the management side of the counter, I usually bring
them a chair and explain why sitting on a table is no good.

Education is a fine thing.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Forgive me if I asked before, I have a sneaking feeling I may have.

I hate to see people treat the tables like patio furniture. Even if I know absolutely nothing about pool, I know that something that something that big and heavy probably costs a few thousand dollars. And I know it's a table. So to me it's common sense -

"oh, is this your ten thousand dollar car? I guess I won't sit on it."
"is this the table where you eat dinner? I guess I won't sit on it."

Seeing people place beer on it, eat their food over it, and sit on it strikes me as extremely disrespectful and borderline retarded. I've never played golf, but I know enough not to shít in the sandtraps.

So my question is - do you confront people who do this? What if they're with a bunch of friends? What if they're kind of intimidating? I'm a big dude but I hate confrontations so sometimes I just let it go. And in the past it's degenerated into a shoving match (and that was with me trying to play it cool by letting an employee handle it).

Sometimes, I can't help thinking "well, if the room owner doesn't teach his employees to stop it, or they don't care enough to bother, I guess it's on him if his room goes to hell because half the rails are unglued and the tables roll funny."

But even at the worst pool hall, one where the tables are already stained and warped, it boils my blood to see it.

So, how do you guys handle it? Do you worry the room owner will think you're out of line for trying to act like an employee (or rather, like the employees should if they were properly trained)?

I give them a friendly "heads-up" like: "Hey, just so you know, the owner will yell at you if he sees you (sitting/putting a drink) on the table. He's afraid it'll (unlevel/stain) it."

I've said this to all kinds of people, young, old, sober and drunk, and never had a negative reaction. Most thank me for the "warning". They might even remember the brief explanation about why "the owner" doesn't like it.

pj
chgo

 

[JDB]

Forgive me if I asked before, I have a sneaking feeling I may have.

I hate to see people treat the tables like patio furniture. Even if I know absolutely nothing about pool, I know that something that something that big and heavy probably costs a few thousand dollars. And I know it's a table. So to me it's common sense -

"oh, is this your ten thousand dollar car? I guess I won't sit on it."
"is this the table where you eat dinner? I guess I won't sit on it."

Seeing people place beer on it, eat their food over it, and sit on it strikes me as extremely disrespectful and borderline retarded. I've never played golf, but I know enough not to shít in the sandtraps.

So my question is - do you confront people who do this? What if they're with a bunch of friends? What if they're kind of intimidating? I'm a big dude but I hate confrontations so sometimes I just let it go. And in the past it's degenerated into a shoving match (and that was with me trying to play it cool by letting an employee handle it).

Sometimes, I can't help thinking "well, if the room owner doesn't teach his employees to stop it, or they don't care enough to bother, I guess it's on him if his room goes to hell because half the rails are unglued and the tables roll funny."

But even at the worst pool hall, one where the tables are already stained and warped, it boils my blood to see it.

So, how do you guys handle it? Do you worry the room owner will think you're out of line for trying to act like an employee (or rather, like the employees should if they were properly trained)?

I usually tell one of the employees without getting involved myself.

 

[henho]

I am similarly bothered when a pool table is used as a procreational surface in pornography.

 

[nxd4b]

I have trouble saying anything to anyone I dont know, so I would probably have to say I would be quiet. Oh and I am new btw so hello!

 

[Luxury]

I usually tell one of the employees without getting involved myself.

I've snitched too when guys were setting their beers on the table.

I had about 7 friends over and a girl was talking with her red wine glass dangling over my new simonis860 and when I called her on it she started intentionally swirling her glass further over the table.

Later she was spanked. Hard.

 

[JDB]

I've snitched too when guys were setting their beers on the table.

I had about 7 friends over and a girl was talking with her red wine glass dangling over my new simonis860 and when I called her on it she started intentionally swirling her glass further over the table.

Later she was spanked. Hard.

Oh, my personal table, I have no problem with telling someone to get the hell off or get their drink away. I definitely would not be shy about telling someone to not get drinks away from my personal table.

However, when I am out, I don't feel it is my responsibility to care for the tables, which is why I talk to the employees instead of confronting them myself.

Although if I got to give a hard spanking I may change my mind....lol.

 

[Mr. Bond]

do i confront?

only if its in my room, or in the room of someone i know personally.

otherwise its nunya, and nunomine.

 

[C.Milian]

There is always a nice way to ask someone to do something. Sometimes its hard, but if you come over and smile while talking in a calm rational manner, they shouldn't be offended.

 

[foospot]

Drinks sitin on table

If its table in my home room and a table i regularly play i will prob say something or let the management know. Some places have banger table(s) & if they r on those then i dont give crap-i figure thats what those tables r for.

I agree-this should fall under common sense but u cant fix stupid.

 

[King T]

Got to say something

If its a place where I play all the time and know most of the people then like Patrick said I'll use the hey the owners will say something to you about drinks on the table or sitting on the table.

If its drunks or those with no respect, I just let the people running the room know

 

[DelaWho???]

Never had it happen at my home table, but I wouldn't hesitate if it did. Putting new cloth on the table or removing ass dents from the rail is an expensive unnecessary aspect of owning a table. If you're new to my pool room you get a verbal brief on house rules before we start.

I will also do it at the Moose where it's a memebers only club and the rules are clearly posted.

 

[dcking]

Snitches get stitches,,, be a man and confront them...and for used as a porn prop I don't mind it all..cause I have had sex on a pool table a few times.

 

[lstevedus]

I had no trouble telling a guy to get his fat a$$ off the fender off my 66 chevelle ss with a new red laquer paint job back in the day, and I have no problem politely explaining why you don't sit on pool tables. I mostly play in pool rooms so its been a while since I've seen anyone stupid enough to place a drink on or over a pool table, but I know it happens. I've seen the stains, sad, very sad.

 

[BHQ]

Do you confront people who sit on/drink over the tables?

i used to
but after the time there was a kid about 16 on top of the table,
on both knees, with his friends holding the light over and out of his way so he could make his shot and the room owner stood right there and watched the whole fkn thing ,
even laughed a little about it, i just gave up

btw, that room is history
cant imagine why though

 

[Pushout]

I've done both as PJ and brought it to the attention of mgt. and let them handle it. Kinda depends on where I am and how much the owners seem to care about their equipment.

 

[CreeDo]

Well, so far most people say something, and most people do it themselves. That's pretty much how I do it.

Sometimes it hasn't worked out. Once I handled it a little wrong, I moved the guy's beer as I was asking him and it turned into "hey, who said you could touch my beer". From that point on he started harrassing me.

Another time a bunch of bunch of kids had actually placed a chair on the table for some reason. They looked like a bunch of macho young guys so I let the bar girl handle it. But from that point on they started harrassing my buddy and I until it devolved into a shouting and shoving match. They left before the cops came and dumped beer down the pocket.

I've also had people react by kind of rolling their eyes like "who does this guy think he is" and then go out of their way to do it again, or to hold their drink over the table, etc.

I think I lack the soft touch in these situations.

 

[PGHteacher]

I give them a friendly "heads-up" like: "Hey, just so you know, the owner will yell at you if he sees you (sitting/putting a drink) on the table. He's afraid it'll (unlevel/stain) it."

I've said this to all kinds of people, young, old, sober and drunk, and never had a negative reaction. Most thank me for the "warning". They might even remember the brief explanation about why "the owner" doesn't like it.

pj
chgo

I have been doing this for years and have never had a problem.

 

[Cdryden]

I've done it the nice way, and the not so nice way!

At my local pool room, I have been a patron there for over 20 years. I have recovered tables and repaired house cue for them free of charge. So when i see the equipment being abused by someone who doesn't know any better they get nicely told why what they are doing is unacceptable.

When it's someone that knows better it's a little different story.

I don't have to worry about it at my pool room in my house, anyone invited there knows better and wouldn't do it out of respect and common decency.

EDIT: I think I get this from the original owner. Once when seeing someone doing something stupid like putting his smoke on the rail while he shot the owner jumped his ass, then looked at me and said "Chris you know I don't like that S*&^, why didn't you say something?" Well, 20 years later that is still stuck in my head every time I see a person pull that stunt!